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Wii Channel Menu
Originally announced in a press conference on September 16, 2006, the Wii Channel Menu is the Wii's Operating System; this menu is what all Wii users see after passing the unit's "Health & Safety" screen upon start-up. The Wii Channel Menu was created with the idea of TV channels in mind; each feature/application of Wii, known as a Channel, is stored in a Channel slot on the Wii Menu that features an animated icon. Selecting a Channel icon with the Wii Remote's A button then allows the user to open it by clicking the "Start" button. The Wii Channel Menu features 48 Channel slots spanning four screens, with each screen having 12 Channel slots. Therefore, a single Wii can have a total of 48 Channels. With the exception of the Disk Channel, all Wii Channels on Wii systems with Wii Menu firmware 2.0 and beyond can be moved by grabbing a Channel icon (by pressing the A and B buttons together simultaneously), moving the icon over an open Channel slot, and releasing the buttons. By updating the Wii console's firmware, connecting one's Wii to the Internet, and downloading additional Channels/software and updates, one can gain access to new Channels and features, all of which are selectable from the Wii Channel Menu. Built-In Channels Each of the following Channels is built into the Wii hardware, and so all Wii users have access to their diverse features. These Channels cannot be deleted. Note: The Forecast Channel, News Channel, and Wii Shop Channel require an Internet connection to function, as well as the latest Wii Menu firmware (currently 3.1). Disc Channel The only Channel that cannot be positioned wherever the user likes, the Disk Channel allows users to play Wii disk-based titles and Nintendo GameCube software that is inserted into the Wii console's front-loading disk drive. Mii Channel The Mii Channel allows Wii users to create caricatures in the likeness of whoever their desire called Miis. Each Wii console can hold up to 100 Miis, and up to 10 can be saved on individual Wii Remotes for out-of-the-house use. Mii caricatures can be used and/or seen in certain Wii titles, including the Wii pack-in game, Wii Sports. Photo Channel Supporting SD Cards (which can be inserted into the Wii console through a slot behind a plastic flap on its front side), the Photo Channel allows users to view and play with images and videos on both their personal SD cards and those posted on their Wii console's Wii Messageboard. Wii Shop Channel The Wii Shop Channel allows users to download and/or purchase additional software for their Wii consoles, which appear as new Channels on the user's Wii Channel Menu after the download is complete. This Channel is home to Virtual Console and WiiWare. This Channel requires an Internet connection to use. Forecast Channel Courtesy of WNI (in North America), the Forecast Channel allows Wii users to view the current and upcoming weather in their area, as well as areas around the world with an interactive, 3D globe. After clicking on the Channel's icon, the user can see the current temperature and conditions of his or her area, as well as the last time this information was updated. As of Wii Menu 3.0, the Forecast Channel displays the current conditions of the user's area on the Channel's Wii Menu icon. This Channel requires an Internet connection to use. News Channel Courtesy of the Associated Press (in North America), the News Channel is constantly updated with new news articles. Users may browse the news by category, by territory (on an interactive, 3D globe), or via a slide-show, which quickly buzzes through news headlines. As of Wii Menu 3.0, the News Channel displays two scrolling headlines at one time on the Channel's Wii Menu icon, and three scrolling headlines after the user click's on the Channel's Wii Menu icon. This Channel requires an Internet connection to use. Currently Available Supplementary Wii Channels There are a variety of additional Channels that Wii users may enjoy other than those included on the Wii hardware. New Channels are generally available for download on the Wii Shop Channel. These Channels may be backed up to an SD Card if necessary. Virtual Console Channels Virtual Console Channels are Channels that allow users to play their downloaded Virtual Console games obtained from the Wii Shop Channel. Each game downloaded has its own Channel slot, with the Wii Menu icon's animation alternating between the game's title screen and the logo of the video game console it originated from. Please see Virtual Console and Wii Shop Channel for more information. Internet Channel Currently available in the WiiWare section of Wii Shop Channel for 500 Wii Points, the Internet Channel allows users to browse the Internet with the Wii Remote and a USB keyboard. The Channel was developed by Opera and Nintendo, and it is a variant of the Opera 9 browser designed specifically for Wii. The Internet Channel supports Flash, Java, Ajax, and more. Users can save up to 56 favorites, which, in addition to non-favorited web-pages, can be shared with Wii friends registered in the Wii console's Address Book. In addition, messages or memos on a user's Wii Message Board that contain links to web-pages can be opened with the Internet Channel by clicking on the link contained in the message (which will be colored blue if typed correctly). This Channel requires an Internet connection to use. Everybody Votes Channel Currently available in the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel for free, the Everybody Votes Channel utilizes the Mii caricatures created in the Mii Channel to allow users to vote in and predict the results of several two-response National and Worldwide polls, register and view voting history for up to six Miis, view poll results by gender and territory, and suggest poll questions and responses that may or may not be used by Nintendo in the future. The Channel's Wii Menu icon scrolls the question and responses for the latest National poll on the Channel. Everybody Votes Channel is updated every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday in North America. This Channel requires an Internet connection to use. Metroid Prime 3 Preview Channel Currently available on the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel for free in North America and Europe, the Metroid Prime 3 Preview Channel is a promotional Channel that allows users to stream several videos from the Wii title "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, as well as look at a few pieces of promotional art from the afore-mentioned game. This Channel requires an Internet connection to use. Not-Yet-Available Supplementary Wii Channels Check Mii Out Channel The Check Mii Out Channel allows users to enter their Miis created on the Mii Channel in contests, as well as share their Miis with the rest of the world. The Check Mii Out Channel is scheduled to launch in North America on November 11, 2007, and it is planned to launch in Japan in November 2007. Everybody's Nintendo Channel Everybody's Nintendo Channel allows Wii users to stream videos of upcoming and currently available Wii and Nintendo DS titles, view game information and statistics for various Nintendo titles, search for games based on one's interests, take surveys on Nintendo games that one owns, share with Nintendo one's Play History, and use one's Nintendo DS and DS Download Play to download demos for upcoming and currently available Nintendo DS titles. Everybody's Nintendo Channel is planned to launch in Japan in November 2007. Wii Fit Channel The Wii Fit Channel is a Channel that added to the Wii Menu from the Wii Fit disk. It allows users to use the Wii Balance Board to measure their BMI, as well as check stats on a graph that records years worth of data for several people, which is kept track of through the Wii console's Miis created in the Mii Channel. The Wii Fit Channel will be included on the Wii Fit game disk when Wii Fit launches in Japan on December 1, 2007, and other territories early 2008. TV Guide Channel (Unofficial Title) Courtesy of G-Guide (in Japan), TV Guide Channel allows Wii users to search for and see what programs are currently being shown and/or will be shown on television. TV Guide Channel (Unofficial Title) is planned to launch in Japan in March 2008. WiiWare Channels Functioning similarly to Virtual Console Channels, WiiWare Channels allow users to use their WiiWare games obtained from the Wii Shop Channel. Please see WiiWare and Wii Shop Channel for more information. Note: WiiWare Channels differ from Wii Channels found in the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel in that they are games and are not necessarily created by Nintendo. WiiWare Channels are planned to be released in Japan in March 2008 and in North America in Early 2008 when the WiiWare service is launched in the Wii Shop Channel Additional Built-In Features of the Wii Channel Menu Clock As of Wii Menu firmware 3.0, the Wii Channel Menu displays the current time in the form of a digital clock. This time corresponds to the time entered in the "Date" section of the Wii Settings menu. Parental Controls Found within the Wii Settings menu, Wii's built-in Parental Controls allow parents to limit the types of games and Channels that their children play with and use. Those who have Parental Controls turned on utilize a four-digit security code. Once this code is entered, the highest ESRB rating (in North America) that is allowed in order for a game to play on Wii may be selected. In addition, Wii Shop Channel, Internet Channel, and News Channel use may be switched on or off. Wii Message Board The Wii Message Board is accessible by clicking on the envelope icon in the lower right-hand corner of the Wii Channel Menu. It allows users to post memos and send messages (with a picture attached, if desired) to other Wii users that are registered in the user's Address Book. A calendar, the Wii console's Address Book and Wii Number, and the user's Wii History can be also be found here. Users may also receive messages from Wii games, including the pack-in title Wii Sports, for various reasons, as well as Nintendo, who may inform users of new offers and/or important notifications. The Wii Message Board is supported by Wii software titles, Channels such as the Photo Channel, and more. This feature requires an Internet connection and WiiConnect24 turned on in order to use its messaging function. Play History Taking the form of a white envelope on the Wii Message Board, Play History documents the Wii disk titles and Channels that users use each day and the amount of time spent using them. In addition, Play History keeps track of the messages that have been sent to Wii friends each day. Play History does not keep track of the use of Nintendo GameCube software. There is no way to delete Play History besides formatting the Wii's internal memory in the Wii Settings menu. Everybody's Nintendo Channel, with the permission of the user, allows Nintendo to access Wii consoles' Play History for research purposes. Category: Wii